


Falling For U

by StrawberryLix



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Fluff, Love at First Sight, M/M, Mutual Pining, POV switch, Strangers to Lovers, This is super corny, coffee shop AU, they're dumb and don't talk to each other bc they're too shy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-14
Updated: 2019-02-14
Packaged: 2019-10-27 18:28:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17771990
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StrawberryLix/pseuds/StrawberryLix
Summary: What happens when two boys in a coffee shop fall in love with each other without knowing about the other one's feelings?





	Falling For U

**Author's Note:**

> i've been listening to a lot of corny songs recently and felt to be under the obligation to write an equally corny fanfiction to one of them. so i picked out my favorite gay coffee shop anthem "Falling For U" by Seventeen and wrote this story based on the song and its lyrics.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yNuWiyFA7k
> 
> i do recommend listening to the song either before or while reading it, it adds to the mood.

The heavy smell of freshly ground coffee lay in the air as Jisung swirled a spoon through his own cup. The place was busy today, which was quite unusual for the normally calm and quiet shop Jisung always loved to visit in between his lectures to tune out the stressful life as a university student.

Lately, he had found another reason to keep coming back to this particular coffee shop.  
If it wasn't for the cute boy in the booth across the room, who always put way too much sugar into his coffee and kept typing away on his cat sticker-covered laptop, Jisung maybe wouldn't bother to come back everyday.

He didn't know anything about the boy, only that he came here everyday between 1 and 4 pm to get a single black coffee, in which he poured ungodly amounts of sugar, and then always sat down in the same booth for about half an hour, busy with his laptop, before he packed his things and went.

Jisung didn't want to be corny, but it was no exaggeration when he said that he fell in love with the brown haired cat boy the moment he first saw him. His smooth hair, pretty lashes and flawless features kept Jisung's gaze drawn towards him. It was safe to say that he was ridiculously handsome. So handsome that Jisung didn't know why others weren't constantly sticking around him. If it were his choice, Jisung would spend every break in the coffee shop by his side in the booth.

It wasn't his choice, though. Or more precisely, he couldn't imagine anything weirder than asking a stranger if he can sit next to him for a coffee. So he kept his distance and would only steal glances at his self-proclaimed crush while sipping his cream coffee.

Over the weeks, Jisung had noticed little habits of the boy. He'd furrow his eyebrows and stick out the tip of his tongue when he was concentrating on something. He would pull a face in disgust if his already over-sugared coffee was still too bitter and then go to the counter and throw in another load before approving of the taste and sitting back down in his booth again with his lips curled up in contentment. He would watch videos on his laptop and giggle every now and then or smile from ear to ear, and his eyes would light up and sparkle with the most amount of liveliness in them.

One time when Jisung had passed him to go to the bathroom, he had caught a glimpse of what the boy was watching. He should have expected the random cat video; after all, the back of the laptop was drowning in various cat-themed stickers. Or maybe they were his own cats, if he had any? 

The boy seemed to either be obsessed with cats or have a very strong cat-phase going on right now, Jisung had no way to judge.

Oh no, now he had nearly caught him staring. Jisung averted his gaze quickly to not get found out by the boy in the booth, and swirled the spoon through his coffee just a bit faster. 

Oh, just how much he'd love to talk to him. To just go up to him and introduce himself.

In Jisung's fantasy, the boy would introduce himself too. He would be surprisingly pleased about Jisung's approach and start an enthusiastic conversation with him. He would laugh at Jisung's jokes with his bright and addictive smile, and he would want to see Jisung again. They would start meeting up regularly and he'd fall in love with Jisung, and they would both sit in Jisung's apartment in the evening, watching movies with lazy make out sessions in between.

But that was only in Jisung's imagination.

Because in reality, there was just no way Jisung would find the courage to approach the boy.

 

-

 

He was there again.

Minho focused on typing up the next sentence of his essay while trying not to get distracted. He took a sip of the frappuccino that he had bought to find a sweeter alternative to his black coffee - but with about the same amount of caffeine to get him through the day. But it didn't feel quite right, and he figured he should just go back to his regular order and empty half of the shop's sugar supply into it.

His gaze crept up to the blonde boy sitting at the table by the window with his usual order of cream coffee. He was swirling a spoon through it again, it seemed to be a habit of his. Or at least he was doing it every time Minho looked over to him, if he wasn't drinking from the cup.

Oh no, he was looking at him now. Minho averted his gaze quickly to not appear suspicious, despite trying to take every chance he could get to sneak a glance at the cute blonde. He had stood out to Minho the first time he'd seen him in this shop; how he was just sitting there sipping on his coffee absent-minded with his cheeks all puffed up. He had looked like a little cozy squirrel and Minho's heart had been stolen just as fast as he had entered the shop.

Minho didn't know anything about the boy. Just that he came here everyday sometime in the afternoon to get the same cream coffee and sit down at one of the tables next to the window. He always wore big fluffy scarves that made him look smaller than he already was, and he didn't take them off during his entire stay at the coffee shop. Minho figured he got cold easily. 

On some days he wore round glasses with the scarf, on others contact lenses which made his usually dark brown irises look a warm shade of hazelnut instead. Minho definitely had not stared at the boy continuously to notice that, nope.

He wanted to go and approach the boy. At least once, to see those round and sparkly eyes directed towards him, looking at him, eyeing him. To be able to look into those eyes without shame as he was talking to him. To feel the attention he would be getting from those eyes.

He nearly audibly sighed at that thought and how out of reach it was. Yeah, if only he _could_ approach the boy and not make a total fool out of himself. It would be weird, wouldn't it? To just walk up to a stranger and talk to him.

So Minho settled for observing him and brooding over his hopeless and stupid crush instead. 

He hadn't even come often to the coffee shop before, but the second Minho had first seen the blonde, it had drawn him to visit the shop again and again, to see if he would be there the next day. And he really was. He seemed to be coming here regularly, so Minho needed to follow. He always brought his laptop with him to seem like his stay actually had a purpose, and sometimes he really did use the time to get some work done, just like right now. But the moment the blonde boy walked in, all his concentration would waver.

He was making a total fool out of himself, and the boy didn't even know. And hopefully never would.

Because, after all, Minho was just a foolish admirer, and he never wanted to be found out.

 

-

 

Another day at the coffee shop and another day on which Jisung kept admiring his crush in the booth from his seat by the window, his own coffee cup close to being empty already. He didn't have the money for another cup, it was already straining his wallet enough to come here everyday to get something.

It was really just stupid to keep spending money everyday to see someone that didn't even know you existed, but it was the thing that motivated Jisung to get out of bed and sit through his boring lectures. If it meant he could see the pretty brown haired boy from the coffee shop that made his heart skip a beat again, he was willing to go through his exhausting daily life.

Maybe it was sad to admit, but there really wasn't anything else that currently gave Jisung as much joy as this. The short while that he spent at the coffee shop gave him the warmth that he required in his life but didn't seem to get anywhere else. A hopeless fantasy to dive into.

But maybe it wasn't as hopeless as he thought. Maybe there was a way he could make his imagination become reality, even if the chance was slim. If only he had the courage to walk up to the boy...

Cat boy now suddenly stood up, and Jisung felt caught in his thoughts. But the boy had just gotten up to go to the bathroom, leaving all his belongings at his booth. An act that seemed a bit careless to Jisung, regarding the fact that anyone could just grab his stuff and run with it, but maybe exactly that was his one chance.

Jisung's one chance at turning things around and making a move.

Before he could think this through, he rummaged through his bag and pulled out a scrappy piece of paper and a pen. 

He had one chance to not mess this up.

 

-

 

When Minho came back from the bathroom, he was disappointed to find out that the blonde squirrel-boy had already left the shop. He should've waited before he went to the bathroom; like this he could've at least admired him for longer. Now he had to wait until tomorrow again for that.

Packing up his own stuff with a sullen sigh, Minho noticed something that had definitely not been there before: a small piece of paper, folded together and carefully placed underneath his laptop.

Curious, he unfolded the paper and found a scribbled message in it. It looked like it had been written in a hurry.

_Please meet me exactly here tomorrow at 3pm. Let's have a coffee together._

What was that? Someone wanted to meet him? At his booth? Shit, had someone been observing him the entire time? Or maybe this was just a prank. 

Yes, it had to be a prank. Who even got letters like these anymore? Stuff like that happened in movies, not real life. And yet Minho found such a letter right in front of him, having been put there while he had gone to the bathroom. He should probably ask the barista if she had seen anything. He didn't want to meet up with someone that might be a creep. But then again, it could just be a prank. 

He eyed the the piece of paper again. Should he really go?

 

-

 

Maybe he shouldn't have expected anything, really, but the disappointment still spread through him when Jisung sat there in the booth on his own at 3:26 pm. Various people left and entered the shop every few minutes, but there was no sign of the brown haired cat boy anywhere.

He was an idiot for thinking that he'd come. Of course not. Who would get a message like that and think it's a good idea to just agree to it? Anyone could've written the message for that matter. 

Jisung stared at his empty cup of coffee, counting the remaining foam bubbles at the bottom and trying not to let a frown spread over his face too obviously. He was able to say that he tried at least. Sometimes things didn't work out, and he could still just go back to his usual pining over the boy from his window seat. His cover still wasn't blown and he could go back to his everyday life if he left now. The boy would have no idea it was him. How should he? Jisung still had the chance to undo everything. He just had to leave now and never approach him in the future. It was like in a video game, where you could reset everything if you didn't like the outcome. Jisung could reset his bad decision of writing the boy a letter by leaving and never bringing it up again. 

And that was exactly what he was going to do. He put on his jacket and swung his backpack over his shoulder before he made his way to the exit with slumped shoulders and a lowered gaze.

He didn't notice the person that just entered, and bumped right into them at the entrance door. The impact was cushioned by a woolly coat that smelled like roses and catnip. 

“I'm sorry, I didn't see you there” someone said before Jisung heard a sharp intake of breath, and looked up to find a pair of dark brown eyes staring at him, opened wide in surprise. Jisung's heart did a flip at the sight. 

Cat boy was looking right at him, eyes wide open and cheeks flushed in a faint shade of pink, his mouth opening up to say something but nothing coming out of it.

Jisung couldn't form any words either, he just kept on staring at the boy for what seemed like seconds before his mouth brought out words that his brain didn't quite register.

“Are – are you here to drink a coffee with me?”

Before he realized what he had said, the boy's eyes widened even more and he seemed to be processing the question longer than it was usually necessary to answer it. His eyes found their glow again, he looked at Jisung like he had waited his entire life to give the perfect answer to a question like this, and his lips curled into an anticipating smile. 

“I guess I am.”

Jisung's heart stopped in his chest and he stared at the boy with his mouth slightly agape. He had expected all kinds of reactions, but not this one. His crush had gotten his letter and had shown up, and he was willing to get to know him in this short span of time that he had first seen him. Because there's no way he could've known before who Jisung was, right? 

“I'm Jisung” he said, swallowing.

“Minho” the boy returned, cheeks still flushed, and his smile growing even bigger.

He had always only been the boy in the corner of the shop by the window, and Minho had always been the shining star illuminating the room. And now this illumination was directed only towards him, lighting him up with Minho together and making him feel warm just as much as bright.

Jisung didn't know how this had happened. A few days ago he'd never have thought that this was where he'd be right now. But he was ready to take the step. He was ready to get to know Minho, more than his little habits and expressions, but the _real_ Minho and all the surprises he would bring with him. And maybe Minho was ready for that too. Maybe Minho was just as excited as Jisung was. Or maybe Jisung's rising euphoria and adrenaline made him think wishful thoughts like that. 

But one thing was clear: Minho wouldn't have come if he wasn't ready for this at least a bit.

And Jisung could work with that.

**Author's Note:**

> happy valentine's day
> 
>  
> 
> *~ comments and feedback is always appreciated ~*


End file.
